Motor-car signal switch



Aug. 12, 1930. E. T. GIBSON. 1,772,943

MOTOR CAR SIGNAL swmcn Filed Feb. 19, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l M'Sl/ZAT/O/Yf 3, 7 In 06/77 015 gwwd; M1019 Aug. 12, 1930. E. T. GIBSON 1,772,943

MOTOR CAR SICNAL SWITCH Filed Feb 19. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PatentedAug. 12. 1930 PATENT OFFICE EDWARD TINKHAM GIBSON, OF MIAMI, FLORIDAMOTOR-CAR SIGNAL SWITCH Application filed February 19, 1927.

This invention relates to motor-car signal switches adapted to beautomatically and manually operated to electrically operate signalsadapted to indicate that the moving car is about to turn to the right orto the left.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved plan ofconstruction for a switch mechanism of this kind.

The object is accomplished by the switch mechanism illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view from above of anembodiment of my invention.

In this figure the switch mechanism (without its cover member) is shownmounted on a fragment of the cars steering-post, and

on a fragment of the hub of the cars steering-wheel.

Fig. 2 is an end view, looking forwardly, of

2 the steering-post-supported member of the mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a side view of a vertical front to rear section of themechanism shown in Fig. 1. The section is made through the dotted line33 shown in Fig. 1. I

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the circuit-terminals of thesteering-post-supported memher, and its connection with circuits adaptedto be electrified to electrically operate a direction-signaling deviceor lamp.

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the steeringpost-supported membercovered by its covermember.

Fig. 6 is a detail view showing the automatically-operablecircuit-closing arm in operation.

Fig. 7 is a detail view showing the manually-operable circuit-closingpiece in opera tion.

Fig. 8 is a view from above of another embodiment of my invention.

9 is a perspective view of the bracket member of the mechanism.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a manual- 45 ly=operablecircuit-closing piece made of spring metal.

Referring to the parts by numerals, 7 indicates a cars steering-post,and 8 indicates the hub of the steering-wheel. 2 indicates abracketanember (Figs. 3 and 9) having a Serial No. 169,568.

bracket-plate section and adapted to be secured to the carssteering-post by a band 6. 10 is a bracket-supported part comprising aeircuit-terminal-bearing member formed of insulating material mounted ona metallic base-plate 9 (Figs. 2 and 3) and having oppositely-disposedbench-sections l5 and 16 (Fig. 2). This member 11 is secured to the saidbracket-plate section of the bracket 2 by means of two bolts 12 and 36(Fig. 1) which pass through slots (see the slots 13 and 89 in Fig. 9.and the bolt 12 in the slot 13 in Fig. 3) in the said bracket-plate 3 toadapt the circuit-terminalbearing member to be moved towards and fromthe steering-post to adjust it.

35 indicates a sleeve-shaft which is carried by and extends through thebase of the said circuit-terminal-bearing member 11, and which has ahead-rim 37 at its upper end and a nut 38 on its lower end. Mounted toturn to the right and to the left on said sleeveshaft is anautomatically-operable circuitelosing arm 34 having its rearward endsection loosely projecting into a notch 39 formed in a hub-carriedmember 40 which latter is mounted on the lower end section of the hub 8of the steering-wheel, and which is provided to automatically operatethe said arm 34 when the steering-wheel is turned to an extentwhichcauses the said arm 34 to leave the said notch 39 and ride on theperiphery 41 (see Fig. 6) of the hub-carried member. The numeral 42 (seeFig. 3) indicates a wearresisting metallic facing carried by insulatingmaterial disposed on the notch-engag ing end of the said arm 34.

Carried by the forwardly-projecting end section 43 of the said arm 34 isa resilient contact-maker 44 adapted to be caused by the turning of thesaid arm to make contact with either one of two circuit-terminal pins 45and 46 adapted to be connected to circuitwires 25 and 28 respectively(see Fig. 4) which lead to the right and to the left chambers,respectively, of a direction-signaling lamr) 26: and connected to thesaid sleeve shaft'35 is a circuit-terminal 50 (Figs. 3 and 4) adapted tobe connected to a wire 51 leading to the positive pole of a battery. Tocause til) the said arm 34- to bear resiliently n the periphery of thesaid hub-carried member 40 and spring: back into its normal positionwhen again opposite the notch 39,1orovide a spring member E (Fig. 1)having legs -18 and 49 adapted to bear against the sides of the said arm3% vhen the latter is turned out of its normal position.

Loosely mounted in the bore of the said sleeve-shaft 35 is acentral-shaft 20 having its upper end disposed in a bearing-hole in abearing-piece 70 and having on its upper end section a cam 67.

56 indicates a manually-operable circuit- ClOSlIlQ' piece which ispivoted midway between its extremities to turn on said centralshatt 520in contact with the under surtac of the said c( m (see Fig 1. 3). andwhich. when in its normal or non-ope ative position, has the centrallong :;is of the laterally-projecting sections 5'? and 58 in a verticalplane at right angles with that of the central long axis of the saidaatomaticallv-operable arm 34-. Provided on the ends of the said piece56 are downwardlv-projccting protuberances F19 and (30 formed to sinkinto and trictionally engage r:pwardlv-o enine e velet-hollows orsockets 1?. l8. and 19 dis osed on the benchsection of thecircuit-terminail-bearing member 11 at predefermined points in the pathof the said protuberance G0, and with evelet-hollows 21. and 23 disposedon the b nch-section 16 at predetermined points in the p: h of the saidprotuberance 59. To cause the said pri'itrherances and GO to snne'l vene'aee the (o-operating eveletholloivs so as to o d the inan allv-oncr:ble piece 5!; against disnlacement therefroi'n by joqe'linc' on of themoving car on the switch mech- 2L1 :nism. a coiled spring! 68 (see Fi 3)is man t n the lower end section of the central 5:20 etween the undersrrtace of the circui -termiuiii-hearing n emher and a loch-nut 69 adated to he suitablv set to cause the said s r g (38 to draw the cam 6.into downwardlv-d reeted Pressure on the nmnuallv-operable piece (56).Dis oscd in toe said evelethollows 17 and 21 are circuit-tern inals 24end 27. re pectivelv. which (see Fin. 4;) are adapted to be conneced tothe wires 25 and 28. re spectivelv. whi h lead. respectively. to the leiand ri ht chambers of the direction-signalinc' lamp 2G.

Rearwaidly-projecting from the central sect on ot the man:allr-operablecircuit-closinc piece 56 is a crank-arm 61 having a slot 62 encac'inethe dewnwardlv-nroiectins1 seca pin (Figs. 1 and 3) carried by abearings 65 and to rovide means for manuall operating the saidcircuit-closing piece 56. And projecting; unwardlv from the saidpush-rod (i-i the upp r end section of the pin 6 (see Fig. 3) covered byinsulating material 57 and engaging the slot (Figs. 3 and 5) in the rearend section of an action-indicater arrow member 86 which is pivoted toturn on the upper surface 01 the cover-incur ber 3-3 of the switchmechanism to indicate to the car driver he operative action that themanuallyopeable piece is performing and the consequent signa that thedirectionsignaling lamp is displaying.

and 525 are diminutive electric-light bulbs, mounted on the circuit iing member (11) and disposed in i and leftclectric circuits respectii lA dicate to the car driver the condition or the circuits.

In the embodiment oi my invei'it-ion in Fig. 8 the numeral 8%) indicatesber formed of insulating mate i in; circuit terminals and al 83indicates a shaft support member. Mounted to turn [0 th ll. he

said terminals T8 and T9, is an antennaticallp operable circuit closingarm T5 carrying on the upper snfiace o'l "free end section nsulatingpiece Tl. This arin i1) adapted o be antoniati ally operated when the1'.6i11l)1 S0 is positioned (not shown) to pose the free aid section ofthe arm wit the notch in the hereinbetore described hubcarried member asis the tree or the arm Si in Fig. l. The 1" catcs manuallv-operable rpiece which is mountejL to tir'n on said sh; This piece i'? has lateralsections (not ind'cated by char their central long ares opposite sidesof and a the central long axis 0 numeral 81 indicates a the piece 77. l

Attached to said era nl:-. push-rod adapted to be manually opera tee toturn the piece 7 not ll- .7 into a his-tinted) wherein the dorm ingformation on one of i jectinp sections mascs circu with circuit-terminalor It. call tu 'n the said manually- ?T out or" circuit-closing into itsnormal one, t; piece 7% on the arm to end 76 su tahl vshaped abut r .s;an'l en laterallv-projectir as is makin iiece T? iii iv turned int I? circnitthe san o nositio:

crates to cz use closu -e .e circuit. .e si niece 'Z': ot the fl are tobe con nected to the positive pOlG ot' a battery. The

said insulating piece 74- is provid d to nsulate 1 1 '7, 1 an b in.evasiv we arm n) iom toe on manic emm, a.

my switch mechanism.

IOU

\ projecting formations 94 and 95 manually-operable circuit-closingpiece pivoted midway between its ends to turn on the shaft 92 carried bythe base 91, and having its end sections bent to provide downwardlhaving their tips rounded to adapt the formations to sink into anddetachably engage such upwardlyopening co-operating socket formations asmay be (not shown) disposed on the base (91) in the paths of saidformations 94 and 95. The said piece 90 in this Figure is formed ofslightly resilient metal to adapt it to cause the said formations 9-4:and 95 to bear resiliently against the base 91 when downwardlydirectedpressure on the piece is exerted by the head 93 of the shaft 92.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7,the numeral '71 indicates an upwardly-extending peg carried by andsuitably positionedl on the automatieally-o iierable circuit-closing arm34: to adapt the peg to abut against and engage a co-operating part ('72and 73 in F 2 and T2 in Fig. 3) on the manually-operable cir- 3cuit-closing piece 56 to turn the latter from a circuit-closing position(see 56 in Fig. 7) back into its normal or non-operative posi tion (see56 in Fig. 6) when the automatically-operable circuit-closing arm isturned from "1 its normal or nonoperative position (see 34 in Fig. 7) toa circuit-closing position (see 34 in Fig. 6) in which latter positionthe said arm 34 causes its contact-maker A to make contact with acircuit-terminal (4' in Fig. (i).

\Vhat I claim is:

1. In a manually and automatically operable switch fordirection-signaling devices for automobiles, comprising a circuit-torminal-bearing member, a shaft supported by said member, and anautomatically-operable circuit-closing arm mounted to turn on thecentral long axis of said shaft and operable by means carried by thesteering gear of the automobile, the combination in the said switchmechanism of a manually-operable circuit-closing piece mounted to turnon the central long axis of said shaft; said manually-operable piecehaving laterally-projecting sections having their central long axes invertical planes on opposite sides of and at angles with that of thecentral long axis of said automatically-operable arm; said arm carryingmeans adapted to abut against and engage either one of saidlaterally-projectin g sections of said manually-operable piece to turnthe said piece back into its normal position when the piece has beenmanually turned out of it into a circuit-closing position and the saidarm is automatically turned into a position wherein the arm operates tocause closure of the same circuit.

2. A manually and automatically-operable switch mechanism fordirection-signaling devices for automobiles, comprising acircuitterminal-bearing member, a sleeve-shaft sup ported by saidmember, an automaticallyoperable circuit-closing arm mounted to turn tothe right and left on said sleeve-shaft and operable by means carried bythe steering- Wheel of the automobile, a central shaft loose- 1y mountedin the bore of said sleeve-shaft and provided with a cam or a head onits upper end section, a manually-operable circuitclosing piece mountedto turn to the right and left on said shaft and havinglaterallyprojecting sections having the vertical planes of their centrallong axes on opposite sides of and at angles with that of the centrallong axis of said arm, each of said laterally-projecting sections havinga downwardly-projecting formation fashioned to sink into and detachablyengage co-operating socket formations disposed on the saidcircuit-terminal-bearing member in the paths of saiddownwardly-projecting formations at points coincident with the normalposition and with the circuit-closing position of the manuallyoperablepiece; said automatically-operable arm having a part adapted to abutagainst and engage a co-operating part on said manually-operable pieceto turn the said piece back into its normal position when the piece hasbeen manuall turned out of it into a circuit-closing position and thesaid arm is automatically turned into a position wherein the armoperates to cause closure of the same circuit.

3. A manually and automatically-operable switch mechanism fordirection-signaling devices for automobiles, comprising acircuitterminal-bearing member bearing terminals of two electriccircuits, an automaticallyoperable circuit-closing arm mounted to turnto the ri ht and left on a vertical axis on said member into and out ofclosure of either one of said circuits and operable by means carried bythe steering-wheel of the automobile, a manually-operablecircuit-closing piece mounted to turn to the right and left on avertical axis on said circuit-terminalbearing member into and out ofclosure of either one of said circuits; said arm having a part adaptedto abut against a co-operating part on said piece to cause turning ofthe said piece out of circuit-closing position and into its normal ornon-operative position when the said piece is in a circuit-closingposition and the said arm is turned to a position wherein it causesclosure of the same circuit; said manually-operable piece having adownwardly-projecting formation fashioned to sink into and detachablyengage co-operating socket formations disposed on the saidcircuit-terminal-bearing member in the path of saiddownwardly-projecting formation at points coincident with the normalposition and with the circuit-closing position of the manually-operablepiece.

EDWARD TINKHAM GIBSON.

